Eric Clapton - Santa Monica (2024)

HIGHLIGHT FROM CLAPTON’S 1978 SLOWHAND TOUR\n• Eric Clapton’s fifth full ength studio album, Slowhand, was released on 25 November 1977 by RSO Records, and titled after Clapton nickname; it remains one of his most commercially and critically successful studio albums. Slowhand produced the two hit singles ‘Lay Down Sally’ and ‘Wonderful Tonight’, and hit big on international music charts the world over. In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that the confident, virtuosic quality in the band playing and the diversity of the songwriting made Slowhand rank with 461 Ocean Boulevard as Eric Clapton best albums Eric and his band began touring the new record in Japan where they played 8 nights in September and October ’77, prior to the release date, and then reconvened in February ’78, taking the tour to the US. Opening this leg in Seattle, Washington, by the 11th of the month the entourage had moved down the West Coast and were in Santa Monica where they performed 2 nights at the city’s Civic Auditorium. The second show there was deemed one of the tour’s finest events and was recorded for live FM Broadcast, and is now featured in its entirety on this new double CD set. A stunning performance by Eric and his group, fans of the great man are certain to want to add this new release to their collections.